The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-09-01
CLEMENCY FOR CONNECTS
Vigorous Efforts to Procure Pardon for
Waldo Durham, Life Prisoner.
Release of Dying Man Serving Long Sem
tence for Perjury-What the Governor
Says About the Effect of Pard0ns.

vigorous effort is being made to induce the
Governor to pardon Waldo Durham. who was
sentenced to the northern prison for life nine
years ago. Durham and Harry Tracy were con-
victed OF numbering James OBrien. The prin-
cipal testimony against them was given by a
of the town, who was the reputed wife
of James Hartman. She represented that she
saw Durham and Tracy kill O'Brien and then.
after robbing the body. throw il into the canal.
Hartman also indicted, but the ground
that wife cannot testify against her husband,
he acquitted. Tracy died in prison two
years ago and in the meantime the belief that
Durham was innocent increased to cause
a number of influential persons to take up his
appeal for pardon.
Yesterday the Governor pardored VIM IT,
Morgan, who has served about eight years of a
fourteen years sentence to the southern prison
for perjury. Morgan lived in Owens ooro, KY,
and on a visit to Evansville formed such connec-
tons that made him a witness against two of the
men with whom he associated They were
charged with robbery. and Morgan testified that
he saw them commit the crime. This testimony
was shown to be false, and on his arrest. rather
than let his people or the world know of his diff
culties, he pleaded guilty, with the expectation
of getting light sentence. His associations in
character, so upon the presumption that this
not his first offense the punishment was
made severe. Morgan is dying with the
sumption. and upon this account the Governor
granted the pardon.
In speaking of pardous yesterday the Gov
ernor said that he had found on a recent visit to
the House of Refuge, that of thirty boys whose
Jail and penitentary sentences he had commuted
in sending them to that institution, only one
had proved unworthy of the clemency. Those
boys" he continued. ARE doing WELL and are
brightest behaved
fellows in the institution. Four of them came
to me and in very gentlemanly manner
thanked me for what had done for them. Two
years ago, young German girl got into trouble
with her mistress She employed trial
with promise Of 81. 80 per week for a winters
service and if she proved satisfactory the wages
would be raised. The first month went by,
and the next, and the next, but the
mistress never settled for more than the 81. 80
per week. The girl. not knowing the trouble it
would cause her, surreptitiously took silk dress
amount due her. She arrested and sent to
the Female Reformatory for three years. Her
mother, whom found to be a haad- working and
honest woman, applied for her daughters par
don. / investigated the matter and discovered
that every thing she told me true. O1e day
/ was at the Reformatory and sent for the girl.
Her statement agreed every particular with
what / had learned. She said she did
wrong, and that the lesson taught her was
severe. but helpful | her out and in a
month the lady who prosecuted her sent for the
girl to resume service in her family. A per-
sstent appeal was once made to me to pardon a
young man convicted Of EN- bezzement. 1t was
his first offense, it was said, but l took the
trouble to write to his employers. and found
that instead OF it's being his first offense he had
embezzled at different times various sums that
amounted to 900. A man for whom he once
worked wrote in reply to a series of questo /
sent him. that he sympathlzed with the prisoner
and would like to see him out of his trouble, but
he did not answer question relative to his
character conduct